Crankshaft supporting means



July 22, 1941. F. c. REGGIO I I CRANKSHAFT SUiPORTING MEANS Filed April 10, 1939 Patented July 22, 1941- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CRANKSHAFT SUPPORTING MEANS Ferdinando Carlo Reggie, Peoria, Application April 10, 1939, Serial No. 267,032

. 12 Claims. This invention relates to the provision, ar-

rangement and actuation of means in connection with an internal combustion engine whereby the crankshaft thereof can be shifted and held as it may be necessary in order to inspect and overhaul the engine.

section of a horizontal engine having two crankshafts showing both crankshafts held in position for engine overhaul.

In the drawing, 8 shows an engine having a removable cylinder liner 9 and a reciprocable piston l therein connected by means Of a con- Another object is to provide effort multiplying means whereby said means for displacing the crankshaft may be actuated without requiring abnormal effort even when the crankshaft has a considerable weight, thereby rendering the use of cranes and the like unnecessary.

A further object is to provide means whereby the crankshaft 'is' displaced along a curved path thereby clearing the space required to remove pistons or cylinder liners without bringing the crankshaft at too great distance from its operating position in the engine. This is of particular importance in railway locomotives, submarines and the like, wherein the available space around the engine is very narrow.

These and further objects and advantageswill be obvious from, or will be pointed out in, the following description with reference to the drawing; and while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of the invention as .they now appear to me, it will beunderstoodthat such changes may be made as fall within.

In the folgine comprising means for displacing the crankshaft, wherein said crankshaft is shown in its operating position; Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1 but shows the connecting rod and piston disconnected from the crankshaft and the latterdisplaced from its operating position in the engine;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the engine with the crankpart an end view and in part a transverse section of a vertical engine having two crankshaftsand at least onedetachable cylinder liner, in which the upper crankshaft is in position permitting removal and replacement of piston, connecting rod and cylinder liner; Fig. dis a longitudinal shaft in the position shown in Fig. 2; Fig 4 is in necting rod I I having a removable cap l3 with a crankshaft I!) held in place by bearings having caps l2. At each -end of the crankshaft a carrier It is rotatably mounted on a pivot l6 secured to the engine 8. During engine operation, th carriers are kept at a small distance from the crankshaft. A rod 20 is connected at one end with an extension 16 of .the carrier I4, and at th other end with a nut 22; The latter is kept from rotating by rod 20. A screw 24 has a right hand and a left hand thread. One of said threads meshes with nut 22, the other with a tapped hole 2.6 of the engine casing.

Referring to Fig. 1, if the cap I3 of the connecting rod I I is disassembled, the latter and the it; if then the main bearing caps I? are removed, the crankshaft I0 comes-into contact withcar riers It. Rotation of screws 2t will cause the crankshaft to be displaced to the position indi-,

cated in Figs. 2 to 5. Engine parts such as bearings, connecting rods, pistons, cylinder liners can thus be removed and replaced. Rotation of screws 24 in the opposite direction causes the upper crankshaft is shown displaced from its normal position thus permitting removal of the upper engine pistons and of the liner 9. A crankcase port. cover 30, or the oil sump 32, can be removed to disassemble the lower connectingrod caps, and the lower engine pistons can thus be removed too through the top of the engine. In most cases the upper crankshaft of this type of engine is not directly coupled to any external coaxial main power transmission shaft, and is usually connected with the lower crankshaft by means of gears, such'for instance as gears 34, 36, 38, 40, or equivalent means, and may therefore piston i5 are disconnected from the crankshaft be promptly displaced to the position shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 diagrammatically indicates a horizontal engine of the opposed-piston, double-crankshaft type having both crankshafts displaced as it may be required to remove all crankshaft bearings.

These embodiments of the invention have been shown merely for purpose of illustration and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention. It ES, therefore, to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown, but may be used in various other ways, in connection not only with internal combustion engines but also with other machines and mechanisms comprising one or more crankshafts such as pumps and compressors, and various modifications may be made to suit different requirements, and that other changes, modifications, substitutions, additions and omissions may be made in the construction, arrangement and manner of operation of the parts within the limits or scope of the invention as defined in the a position suitable for removing and replacing said pistons and connecting rods, and bringing said crankshaft back to its operating position whereupon said bearings can be reassembled.

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, a reciprocating piston therein removable through the crankshaft end of said cylinder and a crankshaft supported in removable bearings, supporting means connected with said engine and adapted to be temporarily brought into contact with said crankshaft when said engine is not operating, to support said crankshaft when said bearings are removed, to displace said crankshaft along a predetermined path and hold the same in a suitable position permitting removal and replacement of said piston, and to bring said crankshaft back to its normal position whereupon said bearings may be reassembled.

3. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft supported in removable bearings, at least one cylinder and a detachable liner therein that can be removed through the crankshaft end of said cylinder upon removal of said crankshaft, normally inoperative supporting means connected with said engine and adapted to temporarily engage said crankshaft when said engine is not operating, to support the weight of said crankshaft when said bearings are removed, to swing said crankshaft to a position permitting removal and replacement of said liner, and thereupon to bring said crankshaft back to a position permitting reassembly of said bearings. I

4. In combination with a multicylinder internal combustion engine having a crankshaft supported in'removable bearings, reciprocating pistons connected with said crankshaft by means of connecting rods and detachable cylinder liners, normally inoperative supporting means, means for connecting said supporting means with said engine whereby said supporting means may temporarily engage said crankshaft when said engine is not operating for supporting the weight of said crankshaft when said bearings are removed, displacing and holding said crankshaft in suitable position for removing and replacing said pistons, said connecting rods and said cylinder liners, and bringing said crankshaft back to its normal operating position, and power multiplying means for actuating said supporting,

engage said crankshaft, support the weight thereof and swing the same around said pivots away from its normal position when said bearings are disassembled, said pivots being so located that said crankshaft is moved from its normal position at first in a general direction substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder whereby said Journals may clear said screws, and thereafter said crankshaft 'is'moved laterally at a suitable distance from the axis of said cylinders to permit engine overhaul.

6. In combination with an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, a crankshaft supported in removable bearings, a piston in said cylinder, a connecting rod cooperating with said piston and crankshaft; normally inoperative supporting means, means for operatively connecting said supporting means with said ngine whereby said supporting means may temporarily be brought in contact with said crankshaft when said engine is not operating, for supporting the weight of said crankshaft when said 1 bearings are removed, displacing said crankshaft to a position suitable for engine inspection and overhaul, and bringing back said crankshaft toward its operating position whereupon said bearwhich said power multiplying means include at least one threaded member.

8. In combination with an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, a crankshaft supported in removable bearings, a piston in said cylinder, a connecting rod cooperating with said piston and crankshaft; normally inoperative supporting means, means for operatively connecting said supporting mean-s with said engine whereby.

said supporting means may temporarily be brought in contact with said crankshaft when said engine is not operating, for supporting the weight of said crankshaft when said bearings are removed, displacing said crankshaft to a position suitable for engine inspection and overhaul, and bringing said crankshaft back toward its operating position whereupon said bearings may be reassembled: the portion of said supportin: means adapted to come into contact with said crankshaft being crescent-shaped and surrounding said crankshaft on an angle of more than degrees.

9. In combination with an internal combus-' tion engine 01 the opposed-piston type having more than one crankshaft supported in removable bearings; one of said crankshai'ts not 'directly coupled with any external coaxial main power transmission shaft, supporting means pivctally connected with said engine and adapted to temporarily engage said last mentioned crankshaft when said en ine is not operating whereby when said bearings are disassembledsaid last said engine and adapted to temporarily engage one at least of said crankshafts when said engine is not operating whereby when said bearings are disassembled one at least of said crankshafts may be displaced from its normal position and held at a suitable distance therefrom, thus facilitating engine inspection and overhaul.

1-1. In combination with an op-piston inwas 3 cylinder, pistons reciprocable therein, two crankshafts mounted one at each end of said cylinder in removable bearings, normally inoperative supporting means connected with said engine and adapted to temporarily engage at least one of said crankshafts when said engine is not operating, to swing said crankshaft along a predetermined path when said bearings are removed and hold said crankshaft in a suitable position for removal and replacement of said pistons, and to bring said crankshaft back to its normal position whereupon said bearings may be reassembled.

12. In combination with an opposed-piston in,- ternal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, two crankshaits mounted one at each end of said cylinder in removable bgs, a detachable cylinder liner that can be removed when one at least of said crankshaits is displaced irom its normal position, supporting means connected with saidengine and adapted to temporarily engage one at least of said crankshafts when said engine is not operating, to displace said crankshaft when said bearings are disassembled and hold. said crankshaft in a suitable po-I sition to remove and replace said liner, and to bring said crankshaft back to its normal position wherein said bearings may-be reassembled.

, FERDINANDO C5310 REGGIO; 

